Post-hole digger



(No Model.)

/ L. Y.MYERS.

ros'r HOLE BIGGER. No. 41,160. Patented May 4, (v 86.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LE- lll Y. MYERS, OF CANTON, OHIO.

PQST-HOLE DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,160, dated May 4,1886.

Application filed October], 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIS Y. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Canton, county of Stark, State of Ohio, have 5 invented anew and useful Improvement in Post-Hole Diggers, of which the followingis a-full, clear, and exact description, reference beinghad to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pst-hole diggers, and especiallyrelates to that class of diggers consisting of a single swinging orhinged shovel and means for operating the same.

My invention also relates to and consists in providing such means andcombination of parts as to form an implement that may be used either asa digger or shovel, as the case may require.

Figure 1 is afrontelevalion of my improved post-hole digger; Fig. 2,aside elevatiou,showing the handle thrown forward, and sectional view ofthe shovel. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the shovel in a positionat right angles with the handle. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of theshovel and lower section of handle-socket, handle, sector, and lockingbolt. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a section of the handle, showing therecessin the handle, pro vided to receive the spring by which thelocking-bolt is actuated. Fig. 6 is a view of the side and bottom orback of the shovel B.

Letter A, Fig. 1, represents the handle situated centrally over theshovel B, and terminating in a conical annular socket, O, bifurcated atits lower end. The prongs a. (I embrace and have a pivotal connection,b, with the sector D, which is mounted on nteg'ral with a plate, E,riveted to the front side of the shovel B, which may be made of a singlepiece of platesteel, and formed as shown in Fig. (3. The sides (I (l ofthe shovel-are turned up, forming a concavo-couvex body, with the point0 rounded slightly from a vertical line, as shown in Fig. 4, and thewingsjj turned in, so as to partly close the upper end of the shovel.The wings j j are formed by cutting away the middle section of theshovel-plate to adapt it to the use of the sector 1) and handle A. Thehandle A is perforated longitudinally, and adapted to receivethelocking-boltf, the lower end of which is adapted to the perforation1.,

Serial No. 178,710. (No model.)

through the end of the handle socket C, be-

tween the prongs u, and to the notches g in the periphery of the sector.The upper end 5 5 of the locking-bolt rests in the recess k, (shown inFig. 5.) This recess Iris covered by a plate, Z, through which there isaslot, through which the upper end of the bolt projects, and to whichany of the well-known forms of buttons or handles 1:. may be applied forthe purpose of drawing the lower end of the bolt out of the notches g inthe sector. About theupper end of the bolt there may be provided aspring to actuate the bolt in one direction, and to '65 hold the bolt inthe sector, when, and as required, locking the shovel B to the handle Ain rigid connection vertically, or in any intermediate dcgree between avertical and horizontal. in this instance I have used a coil spring ofbrass wire, the upper end of which is connected with the bolt. the lowerend to a perforated seat projected from the plate Z, and holds the boltin position by its contracting power. particular form or application ofspring, as

there are many well-known forms in which a spring may be applied tooperate a lockingvbolt; neither would I wish to be limited to the use ofa spring, for in this case the spring might be omitted. The weight ofthe 'bolt would cause it to drop into the locking-notches of the sector,but because of the violent movement of the implement in the process ofpost hole diggingipreiertonsethespriug. Neither do I wish to be limitedto the form of shovel shown by letter B, Fig. 6, as it may be desirableto use other forms, as in some localities, where the soil is very sandy,a broad, flat, straight-edged shovel might be more de- 9o sirable thanthe pointed concavo convex shovel. The edge of the sector may be cutaway at the bottom of notches g, leaving a sharp ridge central to thenotch, that whatever of dirt or earth may lodge in the notch may 5 beeasily displaced by the locking-bolt.

The prongs a u of the handle-socket U having been placed over andembracing the SEL- tor D, the bolt 1) may be passed into the perforations provided in the ends of the prong, and the center of thesector, and by turnin on the threaded nut the parts may be held firmlyand securely together.

In digging post-holes the digger may be [do not wish to be limited toany 75 used first as an ordinary spade or shovel by resting the foot onthe wings j and forcing the shovel into the ground, and remove the earthas with a shovel, then by striking the shovel around in form of a circleuntil a core of earth has been loosened, strike the digger down its fulllength, move the handle over, as shown in Fig. 2, then press down on thehandle A and draw it back to a vertical position. Re peat this movementof the handle until the shovel has reached a position across the holeand at right angles/with the handle when in a vertical position, when itmaybe raised from the hole with its burden of earth, and when in the actof swinging the shovel from the hole raise thebutton n, the earth willbe discharged from the shovel and the shovel drop back into position forentering the hole as a digger.

The simplicity, strength, and durability of this form of digger areapparent, and the removal of all outside rods and levers reduces theweight of the implement and makes it more desirable to handle.

I am aware that shovels have been hinged to handles and for the purposeof a post-hole digger that were controlled in their relations to thehandle by reciprocating rods both inside and outside of the handle, andactuated by andheld in position by a hand-lever.

I do not broadly claim hinging a diggingshovel to a handle, but thehereinbefore -described method of hinging and the construe tion indetail and combination of parts, as set forth.

\Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a shovel, a sector rigidly secured to the frontface thereof, and a handle pivotally secured to the sector, of alocking-bolt located within the handle and adapted to engage the sector,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a shovel having the opening in the'upper orinner end thereof, and a sector rigidly secured to said shovel, of ahandle, pivotally secured to the sector and adapted to rest and movewithin the opening in the inner end of the shovel, and a belt forlocking the handle against movement, substantially as set forth.-

3. The combination, with ashovel, substantially as described, having anopening in the upper end thereof, of the plate E,'secured to the shovel,the sector secured to the plate, a handle pivoted to the sector, and abolt for locking the handle to the sector, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a shovel and a sector rigidly secured thereto,of the ferrule pivoted to the sector, the handle secured to theferrulgthe noit iocated within the handle and ferrule, and the springsecured to the bolt for moving the same in one direction, all of theabove parts combined and operating substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day ofSeptember, A. D. 1885.

; LEWIS Y. MYERS.

Vitnesses:

XV. K. MLLLER, OHAs. R. MILLER.

